As a child growing up in Toledo, Ohio, Ingrid Crumby learned to escape and survive the hardships she faced through her vivid imagination. Today, the author is using her imagination to create new worlds and universes on paper and fire up the literary world.

Crumby, who has an education degree from Bowling Green State University and an MBA from the University of Phoenix, recently published a mystery-thriller titled Hadassah and the Tree of Life.

Rolling out spoke with Crumby about the journey to penning the book.

What inspired you to write Hadassah and the Tree of Life?

I was a part of an online blog many years ago where several women started an impromptu soap opera. I had so much fun with it I started to write my own stories. My husband Feisal saw them and started pushing me to get them published. If not for him, I’m not sure if I would have moved forward with it.

Do you have a specific writing style?

My style is both descriptive and narrative. I love telling a story that people can see in their minds.

Describe the process of getting published.

Honestly, I just wrote, proofread and edited several times. My husband did all the work for me. He wanted me to simply concentrate on writing.

What were the biggest challenges you faced while trying to bring your work to life?

I really wanted the storyline to flow well for others. I wanted people who have issues with comprehending and reading disabilities to be able to follow along. That was important to me. The biggest challenge was losing my daddy during this process. I found it difficult to write at times. I took several months off because I just couldn’t seem to concentrate. It was time that helped me get back to it.